Nier: Automata is one of the best action, role-playing video games of 2017. It was released last February 2017 and has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide since. With its unique gameplay mechanics, interesting story and beautiful scenery it’s not a surprise that gamers got hooked onto the game so easily. In the world of Nier, Earth has been taken over by alien machinery and it is up to the combat androids called Yorha to try and save the world. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where you’ll take on the role of three different androids. Each of them has their own story and missions which will give the players a different perspective on the game. It also features unique weapons and upgrades, fast combos, and a lot of fun Easter eggs to find.

You start off with 2B, one of the most popular characters according to the fans of the game, she is a combat type android and her missions are mostly to find and infiltrate the enemy hideouts. She’s accompanied by 9S, a reconnaissance android who displays more emotions than the others. Both have their own “Pods” which are little robots that have different weaponry. Players receive their missions either from the Bunker or Anemone, the leader of the resistance whose main goal is to save the world from destruction.

The gameplay mechanic of Nier: Automata still have the same remnants from the first Nier video game. However, it’s a lot more fun as you try to create different combos while dodging waves of enemy bullets. Different rooms have their own different camera perspective also which makes it a bit confusing sometimes. You can buy, craft, and upgrade your weapons. You can use two weapons in battle which can differ from short swords, long swords, great swords, bracers, and spears. Each combination of weapons has their own unique combos.

The main fighting style is hack-and-slash but you can also use your “Pod” to fire mini-guns or rockets that can help destroy enemies from afar. You can also parry enemy attacks if you time your dodge correctly which can result in a counterattack and deals devastating damage to your enemies. You can also change 9S combat style which differs from Balanced, Aggressive, Stealth, etc. Picking the right one in certain situations can help you survive, especially in Boss fights.

You can also do side quests in the game as a lot of NPC asks you to do jobs for them, which gives out pretty good rewards such as gold and XP. So don’t be lazy to complete side quests – who knows, you might get something great out of it (like a rare and powerful weapon). The game is also pretty much an open world except the places that you can only go into if it’s part of the main quest. Exploring the world, like hidden caves or buildings, are usually filled with rare items that you can take or special enemies that give off a lot of experience. There are also hidden places where you can find NPC’s that sells rare items and weapons.

Overall, the game is interesting. The beautiful graphics and effects are eye candy and fighting enemies with epic combos is super fun. The characters stories are also interesting and playing each of them doesn’t feel repetitive. If you’re a huge fan of hack-n’-slash games with beautiful graphics and effects, and an interesting story then you should definitely check it out.